Not Now, Perhaps Later
by sesshy's-stalker
Summary: Hard times fall on everybody, it's coping with them that trully strengthens your character. A teenage mother who barely makes ends meat, a homeless boy with a mysterious past, and the 'hard times' that bring them closer together. onesided sasusaku, saku?


A/N: I don't really know how to explain this one, I was just feeling a little depressed and needed a simple story with a slightly depressing theme. It might get better or it might get worse, depends on my mood. I know it's a bit short but long chapters get so tedious and weighed down, this one just plays on light emotion and unfortunate situations. Sorry about Tobi, but it was necessary. Do you like it, should I continue it? Please read and review

**Not Now, Perhaps Later**

**by**

**Sesshy's-Stalker**

Pockets? empty. Stomach? the same. Heart? even worse.

A boy of 17 walked down an empty sidwalk, heavy grey clouds hung overhead. The air thick with moisture, charged with anticipation. The rain was coming.

Dark hair, dark eyes, and a pale sickly complexion, the boy was tall and lanky and a bit too thin for his body type. Cold eyes rimmed with fatigue and hunger, slender bony hands clenched into fists, the knuckles and fingernails dirty. Hair deshevled and limp, clothes rumpled and dirty, worn from overuse. All of this added up to one thing, this boy was homeless. Not a word crossed his lips as he looked for shelter from the rain. The highway overpass didn't look too bad at the moment.

It was dry and that's all he really cared about. He sat in the most secluded spot he could find and hugged his knees to his chest for warmth. He had no coat and in his state he wouldn't be getting one anytime soon. He looked at his sneakers, they were dirty and worn and were starting to form holes. This life offered its challenges but it was something he'd rather face than his other alternative. He'd gotten used to it, he'd been on the street for almost a year and you learn fast what it takes to live out here. At first he was always scared but he would meet others like him and found them surpiringly helpful.

None of this helped at the moment though, he was hungry. It had been 4 days now since he had eaten. He would sometimes have to go without food for days but this was worse, he was starting to lose conscienceness and there was a great pain in his stomach.

He only hoped he'd get over this soon.

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A girl of 19 finished wiping down the last of her tables and picked up her tips. She had a frazzled look about her, too stressed and too tired, but somehow she kept going. She took off her stained yellow apron and left. It was raining, fortunetly she had her counter attack, an umbrella. It didn't stop her legs and pants from getting soaked though.

Today was depressing, she looked into her pocket and counted the tips she'd gotten, 22 dollars total. That was probably enough to get along for the next 2 days, 3 if she streched it well. Not bad at all.

She thought to what waited for her at home, her crummy too small 2 bedroom apartment, and her children, sort of. Well 2 were her's, twins, a teen pregnancy when she was 17. But she also had a little girl, her niece, her sister had one day asked her to babysit and she just never came back. So she kept her, and aside from that her brother lived with her... he was special, her mother used to take care of him but when she died a year and a half ago she took him in as well.

He might not have had the full capabilities of an average person but he was helpful enough, while she was at work he took care of the children. They were sometimes a bit of a handful and she would sometimes come home to a horribly messy apartment and him crying in the corner, a bit too overwhelmed. Those were the worst days.

But for some reason through all the trouble and misery her mismatched little family managed to make her smile, feel happy, and above all feel hope.

The rain was getting worse and colder, there was an overpass coming up, she could rest there for a moment, she still had a long way to go before she got home. At least it was dry.

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He felt a light slap on his cheek and looked up, it was a girl. He was still very weak but managed to sit up somewhat. His vision focused so there was only 1 girl but she was still slightly blurry.

"It's not very wise to sleep like that, it could have gotten colder and you could have frozen to death, you know."

For some reason he felt like she actually meant what she said, almost like she cared. She looked around and bit her lip worried, sighed and then looked at him. She stuck her hand out and waited for him to take it. He only stared, confused.

"You're supposed to take it."

He still didn't move.

"Why?"

She was surprised and didn't understand what he ment.

"Why, what?"

"Why are you doing this?"

Again she looked a bit confused, as if his question was unusuall.

"Well, I suppose, because you look hungry and tired, and I may not have the best things in the world to offer you but I have food and a bed."

He looked thoughtful for a moment then anger settled on his face.

"Look, I don't need your charity so go away!"

"Ah, I see. Well then there's no problem here you see because I don't give charity. Charity is for people who want to feel good about themselves not just to help people. What I am doing is called exchange, I feed you today, you owe me a favor. ok?"

"That is a terrible trick."

"Indeed. Now let's get going, I have a noisy home waiting for me."

"Hn."

The boy got up a bit shakely but steadied and walked up next to the girl, he was about a foot taller. They started walking, in silence. While they walked he observed her, she was short and petite, 5'3'' most likely, she had large green eyes, probably a bit too large but not as much as her forehead, though it was charming in a way. What stuck out the most was her hair, pink. What an unusuall color, but it was nice on her, all of her features seperately would look awkward but on her they all worked. She wasn't beautiful, but she wasn't ugly either, she had a charming uniqueness to her. But aside from all that, she looked tired, she had dark bags under her eyes and her hair was dull and haggerd. Not that he looked any better.

The walk was long and dreary as the rain continued to get worse.

"Oh looky, we're here!"

He looked up to an old worn down apartment building, which looked even more pathetic in the rain. But it's not like he was going to complain, he was going to eat tonight.

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The door opened with a creek and pop.

"Sakura! You're home!!"

Sakura walked in to find her bother, Tobi, and one of her sons watching Sesame Street, eating cookies. The rest of the children were asleep on the couch.

"Hey Tobi, I hope today went well?"

"Yep!"

"Ok then, I want you to meet someone this is...opps I never asked you your name." She rubbed her head sheepishly.

"Oh... it's Sasuke."


End file.
